View over the old Fez Medina, with the Al-Karaouine Mosque and University (building with green tiled roof and white Minaret) and the Zawiya Moulay Idriss II (building to the right of Karaouine, with tall minaret and pyramid roof).

Established at the very beginnings of Morocco’s oldest imperial city, the University of Al-Karaouine (also written as Al-Quaraouiyine and Al-Qarawiyyin) was founded in 859 and is considered by Unesco and the Guinness Book of World Records to be the oldest continually operating university in the world.

Located in the heart of the old city, the complex is composed of a mosque, university and library, and is connected to the labyrinth of interconnecting streets and alleyways on all four sides. Its ceramic green tiled roofs take centre stage over Fez’s urban sprawl from any viewpoint over the city.